The AIIAS Department of Public Health 16-person-team led by Dr. Cesar Galvez spent December 19-24, 2013 in the badly destroyed city of Tacloban conducting assessments, seminars, and distributions for the victims of typhoon Haiyan.

The team flew to Cebu City on December 19 and took an overnight ferry to Ormoc City where they hired a van to drive them to Tacloban City. They were given a tour of the East Visayan Conference (EVC) headquarters for Seventh-day Adventists. Some of the students couldn't help but gasp at the destruction both inside and outside the conference compound.

On Sabbath, December 21, the team visited and worshipped in the church in EVC in the morning, and conducted an ocular inspection of Brgy. 88 and family interviews in Brgy. 89 where the seminars and distribution would be held.

The next day, the team conducted a health education program for the children of Brgy 89. They started with some action songs, then taught them how to properly wash their hands and brush their teeth, while giving them free soap, tooth brush, and toothpaste to use.

Under the supervision of Dr. Chirlynor Calbayan, the team also conducted a nutrition education program for the mothers, as a well as a cooking demonstration of VITA-MEAL (which was to be distributed to all the households).

Through the donation of Gary Stanhiser of Giving Children Hope, the team was able to distribute VITA-MEAL, hygiene kits, and some medical supplies, to around 3000 families in different parts of Tacloban for the remaining two days.

"I would like to thank Gary Stanhiser, representative of Giving Children Hope, for having given us the opportunity of serving the Haiyan victims. It was the best Christmas ever. I would like to thank the team for adapting to each situation and harmoniously working together despite multicultural differences. I would also like to thank the Pajo family for opening their home to us, making it our center of operations. Finally, I would like to thank Dr Lito Castillo, Director of Miller Hospital, for facilitating the transfer of goods from Cebu to Tacloban". - Dr Cesar Galvez,Chair of the AIIAS Department of Public Health

The team may have left to come back to AIIAS on the day before Christmas, but they had already celebrated and experienced the joy that it brings during their brief stay.